and we aren't okay
by Trylan Aire
Summary: "I hardly ever see you anymore. We're fine, look at everything we have. We have an amazing home, with two beautiful kids and a huge, dysfunctional family with people who love us. You don't need to prove anything, okay?"-tumblr request


**Prompt: Older!Makorra angst**

**Pairing: Makorra**

**...**

There was too much going on, too much screaming, too much crying- just too much. Korra was yelling from across the house, her hair a mess and her eyes bloodshot and red rimmed from lack of sleep. His teeth grit together at the sound of her slamming a door.

"I can't do everything, Mako." she shouted, her fists curling as she slammed the dresser door shut in their room. Her husband leant against the counter in their kitchen, his forefinger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose. His golden eyes were squeezed shut, and his head pounded with a headache. The baby was crying- she was supposed to be sleeping. Their son was crying in his room as well, most likely from the shouting.

"Do you hear her crying?" Korra demanded shrilly from the hallway. She stomped into the kitchen, their son on her hip. Her hands searched for a clean bottle and he shoved one into her hands. Her eyes, flickered to his and she glared as she shoved past him. He followed her, his movements mechanical and slow. His mouth was dry, his shoulders aching, his legs growing heavy with each step he took. He paused in the hallway, his forehead meeting the cool wall.

Korra walked out of the room, still cradling their son. He opened his arms in an offer to take him and she glared up at him. Those pretty blue eyes were cold and dark with anger and exhaustion. "I've got it." she muttered. Her voice had lowered, though her frustration with him was nearly tangible.

"Shh...shhh..." He heard her hush their son as he whimpered. "I'm right here, sweetie, go to sleep." she whispered. She slipped from his room and shut the door softly behind her. She passed him without looking and went into the kitchen. He breathed heavily, and followed her. When he found her, she was on the kitchen floor, her chin rested on her knees, glaring at the refrigerator in front of her.

"Korra..." he began, but the scathing glare he received from her silenced him immediately. His shoulders sagged and he brought a hand to rub his forehead. "Look, I get that you're tired- I am too, but you can't just be angry with me because of that."

She snorted derisively. "You think I'm angry because I'm tired? Spirits that's not even close. You're never here, Mako. I understand you have a job, but you also have two kids. Kenna is five weeks old and you've held her, what- twice?" she spat. "I'm tired of _this_, Mako. Of being alone at night with them and having to explain to your son why Daddy is never home anymore. I'm tired of _this life_."

"I'm sorry, alright? I'm trying to provide for this family, to keep us safe. And I know I'm not home often, but I can't just not go to work." he retorted.

"Keep us safe? Are you serious? I'm the fucking Avatar, Mako. Who in the name of Agni is going to try and mess with this family? And if you want to talk about jobs, Mako- what about mine? My job is to maintain peace and balance with the World. There's a Revolution in the Earth Kingdom- that's something I need to go handle- but I can't. I don't know who'll be here to take care of the kids. I can't ask Pema and Tenzin. Asami has a life, too. And Bolin is already here more than you are- what am I supposed to do, Mako? Pack up and take an infant and a toddler into a warzone?" she spat, standing up to glare at him.

"Korra- I had no idea-" he sputtered.

"Oh, I know you didn't." she snarled.

"Korra-just listen to me." he cut in. He hesitated for a moment, before he took her hand in his. Her glare never wavered as he spoke. "I'm sorry, alright? I've been working way too much, and I know I'm never here anymore, but we can go back to what it was like before. Like when Rinzen was born, and I was home everyday, and we were an actual family. I've just been so caught up with work- I just wanted to make sure you all had everything I couldn't get when I was a kid." he said.

Her expression softened. "Mako, that's not an excuse. I need you home, okay? I hardly ever see you anymore. We're fine, look at everything we have. We have an amazing home, with two beautiful kids and a huge, dysfunctional family with people who love us. You don't need to prove anything, okay?"

He nodded. "I'll get tomorrow off, okay? And maybe this entire week, I think we both deserve a break." he told her. Her lips curled up and she nodded. His hand cupped her cheek, and his thumb brushed over two old faded scars that ran over the soft skin. The firebender bent low, and pressed his lips to hers.

Korra's lips curled up wide at the sound of their daughter crying, and she broke the kiss. Her hand curled around his. "C'mon, Mako, let's go see our baby girl." she sighed. He smiled, and followed his wife into their daughter's room. She had disrupted the fabric of her blankets, and her tiny little fists waved around angrily as she sobbed.

Mako lifted her gently, and cradled her to his chest. "Shhh..." he murmured, rocking her slowly. Her wide, gold eyes blinked sleepily up at him and he smiled. "She looks just like me." he mumbled. Korra nodded.

"Yeah, she whines like you too." she added, and her lips pecked his cheek. "She needs to be fed. This is a Mommy job." Mako handed off their daughter and Korra settled into the rocking chair at the corner of the room.

"Can you check on Rinzen? He has a hard time sleeping through the night." Korra said. Mako nodded, and turned down the hallway to their son's room. He was curled up, his stuffed arctic fox-ferret under his arm. Mako smiled, and lifted the corners of the quilt up a bit further. Their son was a remarkable mix of both of them, he realized. His eye shape, but Korra's bright blue eyes, and Korra's skin tone, but his Father's lanky frame. Korra would joke about how fortunate their children had been to not inherit his eyebrows, but the pair had still come out looking like him.

Mako brushed their son's over grown inky black hair from his face, and stood. "Good night, Rinzen." he whispered. He returned to their daughter's room, and found Korra and Kenna sleeping soundly. Kenna had finished feeding and instead had rested, her soft features peaceful in sleep. Mako gently lifted their daughter and rested her in the handmade, ornate crib, sent from Grandpa Tonraq. He turned back to Korra and lifted her as well. Her head lolled against his chest and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

She stirred only when he rested her in bed, and her eyes peered up at him. She yawned and mumbled something that sounded like, "Go to sleep. I love you." He pulled the covers up over them, and his arms folded around her.

"Love you too, Korra. Good night."


End file.
